In recent years, motorcycle manufactures have attempted to find ways to distinguish their products from their competitors. In doing so, the manufactures have focused on differing ornamental features and engine designs. The result is that the motorcycles on the market typically include different colors, shapes, and sizes of the motorcycle frame.
In some instances, to distinguish their product, motorcycle manufactures have developed different ornamental designs directed toward the appearance of the motorcycle wheel (e.g. “motorcycle rim”). For example, FIG. 1 is a depiction of a motorcycle wheel face disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D445,081 S issued Jul. 17, 2001 to Cunningham. The patent discloses an ornamental design for the front face of a motorcycle rim 100 including five tapered spokes 102 attached to a generally circular hub 104. The spokes 102 are additionally attached to the inner perimeter 108 of the rim 100. In operation, a motorcycle tire (not shown) may be placed on the outer perimeter 106 of the rim, and the rim 100 may be affixed to the front or rear of motorcycle frame (not shown) on both front faces of the wheel. When the motorcycle is in motion, the rim 100 including the spokes 102 rotates and ceases rotation when the motorcycle comes to a standstill.
FIG. 2 illustrates another design for the front face of a motorcycle rim 200 which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D463,013 entitled “Motorcycle Wheel Front Face” issued Jan. 22, 2002 to Cunningham, wherein the spokes 202 are of an irregular shape. The spokes 202 are affixed to the inner perimeter 208 of the motorcycle rim 200 and to a circular hub 204. A motorcycle tire (not shown) may be affixed to the outer perimeter 206 of the rim. Similar to rim 100, the rim 200 may be affixed to the front or rear of motorcycle frame (not shown). When the motorcycle is in motion, the rim 200 including spokes 202 rotates and ceases rotation when the motorcycle comes to a standstill.
As can be seen, the exemplary motorcycle rims of FIGS. 1 and 2 are directed toward the aesthetic appearance of the motorcycle wheel rim. The designs of FIGS. 1 and 2 are typical of the present efforts to enhance the ornamental appearance of a motorcycle wheel by varying the size and shapes of the wheel spokes.
In addition to manipulating the ornamental design of the wheel spokes, some manufacturers seek to distinguish their wheels by placing, for example, decorative nuts, sometimes referred to as “spinner nuts,” mechanically coupled to a corresponding vehicle wheel. One such spinner nut is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,427, entitled “Simulated Knock Off Spinner Nut,” issued Mar. 4, 1980, to Bradley. The Bradley patent teaches a simulated knock off wheel spinner nut which may be attached to a wheel without having to remove the wheel of the vehicle. Since spinner nuts are typically in direct mechanical coupling to the corresponding wheel, the spinner nut rotates at the same rotation speed as the wheel. Thus, as the vehicle moves, the wheel and the spinner nut move simultaneously at an identical angular speed and may be perceived by observers outside the vehicle as a rather pleasant blur.
Other known wheel assemblies have used bearing means to fully decouple wheel rotation from a stationary wheel cover. Decoupling of the wheel cover may be desirable when the cover carries advertisement displays, or other information that, in order to be legible to an observer, needs to be stationary when the vehicle is in motion. Since the cover is decoupled from the wheel, the cover remains stationary when the wheel is in motion, permitting the information on the wheel cover to be appropriately perceived.
The aforementioned known wheel assemblies are designed either to rotate at full wheel speed when the wheels are in motion, or conversely, to fully suppress rotation as the wheel rotates. Few techniques, however, exist that take advantage of the aesthetically pleasant visual effects that may occur if the wheel includes elements that rotate at a different speed relative to the wheel speed. Although not directed toward motorcycles, one such technique is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,370, entitled “Wheel Spinner Assembly Independently Rotatable Relative to a Corresponding Wheel,” issued Apr. 29, 2003, to Fowlkes. The Fowlkes patent generally discloses a system for enhancing the aesthetic appeal of an automobile wheel wherein a wheel spinner assembly rotates at a different speed relative to the wheel. Particularly, the Fowlkes patent discloses a wheel spinner assembly mountable onto a corresponding wheel or vehicle. As shown in FIG. 3, the assembly 10 includes a spinner 30 rotatably affixed to a wheel mount 14 which is coupled to a vehicle wheel (not shown), using a plurality of bolts positioned through bolt passageway 16. A spinner mount 18 is disposed through the axis of rotation of the spinner 30, and through the center of the wheel mount 14, for affixing the spinner 30 to the wheel mount 18. In the preferred embodiment, the spinner mount 18 may resemble a screw or bolt configured to receive a corresponding nut 22 and washer 24.
The Fowlkes spinner assembly 10 includes a ball bearing assembly 28 having a plurality of balls 32 confined between outer and inner rings 34 and 36 respectively. A bearing collar 37 may be provided to give radial support to the inner ring bearing assembly. The spinner mount 18 further includes a section 26 configured to receive a bearing or bushing assembly 28 that permits independent rotation between the spinner mount 18 and the spinner 30 including radially extending spokes 38, thereby allowing the spinner 30 and spokes 38 to rotate at a different speed relative to the wheel speed.
The spinner assembly described in Fowlkes is designed to be directly affixed to a respective wheel of a vehicle by suitable fastening means, such as a plurality of bolts extending through a plurality of corresponding bolt passageways 16 in wheel mount 14. The spinner mount 18 is affixed to the center of wheel mount 14, and the spinner 30 is affixed to the center of the spinner mount 18. The spinner mount 18 is designed to support the spinner 30 in free rotation relative to the wheel 12. The spinner mount 18 is disposed through spinner 30 central axis of rotation. Thus the spinner mount 18 extends at least partially through the center of spinner assembly 10. Consequently, the Fowlkes invention is not suitable for use on vehicles on which the wheels include a central axle shaft or hub traversing therethrough, for attachment to a vehicle frame at opposing ends of the axle.
Particularly, conventional bicycles and motorcycles include, for example, typically include an axle shaft which extends through the center of the wheel face for attachment to a front or rear fork of the vehicle frame. These vehicles typically include a front wheel, which is used for steering the vehicle and a rear wheel for providing the vehicle with forward motion. Typically, steering handles or handlebars are interconnected to the front wheel, and more particularly, to the front wheel axle shaft, via a front fork including two adjacent parallel tangs or legs which mechanically couple to and extend upward from each side of the wheel axle shaft. The tangs connect at the top of the wheel to a central steering tube attached to the handlebars. The central steering tube is rotatably mounted to the frame of the bicycle in a manner that supports the frame on the wheel's axle while permitting rotation of the central steering tube and thus allowing the front wheel to turn relative to the frame of the vehicle.
As noted, bicycles and motorcycles also typically include a rear wheel for use in providing the vehicle with a forward motion. The rear wheel is generally affixed to the vehicle frame in between a rear fork in similar manner as is discussed with respect to the vehicle front wheel. That is the rear wheel typically includes an axle shaft traversing therethrough for use in rotatably connecting the rear wheel to vehicle frame. The rear wheel may further include other components attached thereto, such as dust seal or, drive sprockets. The rear wheel, and corresponding components, may be affixed to the vehicle by fastening the rear wheel and the components to a rear fork with the tangs of the rear fork attachable to opposite sides of the rear wheel.
As can be seen, since Fowlkes discloses a system including a spinner mount positioned centrally to the spinner assembly, the spinner mount would necessarily interfere with the axle shaft required for attaching a motorcycle or bicycle wheel to the vehicle frame. In addition, the spinner mount and spinner assembly of Fowlkes, when take in combination as intended, or individually, is too bulky around the wheel axis of rotation for use with a motorcycle or bicycle wheel, since little room exists for attaching the Fowlkes spinner and spinning mount between the wheel and vehicle frame. More particularly, since the Fowlkes spinner mount is central to the wheel, the spinner mount makes it impossible to traverse a shaft through the spinning mount for attachment to the motorcycle or bicycle frame as required by most motorcycle or bicycle wheels. Consequently, the Fowlkes system is unsuitable for use with a motorcycle or bicycle wheel, or the like requiring attachment to the frame of both sides of the wheel via an axle shaft. Thus, it is desirable to provide a wheel spinner assembly which compensates for the centrally positioned axle shaft of a vehicle wheel, and which rotates at a different rotational speed than the speed of the corresponding wheel. The desired wheel spinner must be of sufficient size to fit within the relatively narrow space between a motorcycle or bicycle wheel and the vehicle frame. Such an assembly would enhance the aesthetic appeal of the wheel whether or not the wheel is in motion.
Additionally, the construction of the Fowlkes spinner assembly, which, as noted, interferes with the placement of a motorcycle or bicycle wheel axle shaft, is only suitable for use with vehicle wheels with only one face viewable to an outside observer during use. More particularly, vehicle wheels which may be viewed by an outside observer on either side during use generally include an axle shaft for attaching the wheel to the vehicle frame on both sides of the wheel. In this way, the rotation of a single wheel may be viewed by an outside observer positioned on either side of the vehicle. Further, the wheel angular rotation is supported the axle shaft disposed through the wheel central axis of rotation. Thus, as noted, the Fowlkes support frame interferes with the position of the axle shaft. As such, the Fowlkes invention is also not suitable for use with a vehicle wheel wherein the rotation of the wheel is fully observable by an outside observer from either side.